Twitter + Apple = Love, An In-Depth Look at iOS 5′s Twitter Integration
Twitter integration is just one of the surprising new features in iOS 5, coming this fall, which will make it even easier to share content and connect with friends when using the social network.
Apple’s new pairing with Twitter may have come as a shock, but it makes sense. Twitter has always been a mobile oriented company, and Apple produces some of the best mobile devices. In mere months, Apple devices and Twitter’s service will go together like peanut butter and jelly.
In iOS 5, Twitter is everywhere. There is a link to install it right in the Settings application. From the link, users are directed to the App Store, to download and install the official Twitter client. In the same section of the Settings application, users will enter their Twitter username and password to enable the Twitter functionality. Users who don’t currently have a Twitter account will be able to create a new account from within iOS 5, and an included explanation will explain the Twitter service.
After Twitter has been set up on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, links to the social network can be accessed from several places.
- In Safari, when hitting the email arrow icon on the bottom (the current Add Bookmark button), a new option to Tweet a link is available.
- The Maps application has a Twitter button that allows users to share their location, with an attached message.
- Within the Photos and Camera applications, all pictures taken or saved can be posted directly to Twitter by tapping the Tweet button.
- Twitter usernames are able to be added to contacts, so sending mentions and direct messages is as easy as tapping a name in the contact list.
Twitter is about to soar in popularity, vying with Facebook to be the king of social networking. iOS 5 users are going to be able to quickly and easily turn all of their activities – reading a story on the Internet, snapping a photo, or exploring a new location – into an immediate social activity.
While Twitter is the social network on iOS 5, there is an option in the address book to add your friends’ Facebook, Flickr, LinkedIn, and Myspace profiles, indicating that these other social networks haven’t been left out completely, so integration with them is a possibility in the future. Personally, while I’d like to see additional Flickr integration, I can live without Facebook. And I’m certainly pleased with the Twitter integration. Are you a Twitter user? If not, will iOS 5 entice you to sign up? What social networks would you prefer to see integrated with iOS 5?
